title: [Effects of electroacupuncture stimulation of "Fenglong" (ST 40) on expression of liver ATP-binding cassette transporter A 1 mRNA and protein in rats with hyperlipidemia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Fenglong" (ST 40) on blood lipid levels and hepatic ATP binding cassette transporter A 1(ABCA 1) mRNA and protein expression in hyperlipidemia rats, so as to study its mechanism underlying improvement of HLP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty SD rats were randomized into normal control, model,diet control, EA, and EA+ diet control groups, with 8 rats in each group. Hyperlipidemia model was established by feeding the animals with high fat forage for 28 days. After modeling, rats of the two diet control groups were fed with basal forage. EA (2 mA, 2 Hz/ 100 Hz) was applied to bilateral ST 40 for 30 min, once daily for 28 days. Plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) contents were detected by automatic biochemistry analyzer, and the expression levels of ABCA 1 mRNA and protein in the liver tissue were assayed by in situ hybridization(lSH), RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the normal control group, the contents of plasma TC and LDL-C were apparently increased (P<0.01) and the expression levels of hepatic ABCA 1 mRNA (detected by both ISH and RT-PCR) and ABCA 1 protein were significantly decreased in the model group (P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, plasma TC and LDL-C contents were significantly decreased and the expression levels of hepatic ABCA 1 mRNA and protein were significantly up-regulated in the EA group and EA+diet control group( P<0. 01). The effects of EA+ diet control were significantly superior to those of diet control in down-regulating plasma TC and LDL-C levels and up-regulating hepatic ABCA 1 mRNA and protein expression levels(P<0. 01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA stimulation of "Fenglong"(ST 40) can decrease the load of blood cholesterol and suppress the down-regulation of hepatic ABCA 1 mRNA and protein expression in hyperlipidemia rats, which may contribute to its effect in improving hyperlipidemia.
authors.affiliation: Wuhan Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, Wuhan, China. zhxzj99@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Hong-Xing
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D064286:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D064286:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D012333:RNA, Messenger